1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-density server including a plurality of server modules with external interfaces aggregating external wires connected to external devices.
The present application claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-157011 filed Jul. 12, 2012, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, high-density servers are each designed to include a plurality of server enclosures, each enclosing a plurality of server modules. Specifically, high-density servers are each designed to include a server rack accommodating a plurality of enclosure drawers which are vertically combined together. A plurality of server enclosures is individually put into enclosure drawers installed in a server rack such that server enclosures can be freely inserted into or pulled out from enclosure drawers. A plurality of server enclosures is cast into an enclosure frame accommodating a plurality of front drawers which are arranged vertically and horizontally. A plurality of server modules is individually put into a plurality of front drawers, arranged inside an enclosure frame, such that server modules can be freely inserted into or pulled out from front drawers. Each server module may include a CPU and/or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) unit.
As described above, a high-density server may install a plurality of server modules therein, thus implementing parallel processing and complex computation with a plurality of server modules. Each server module needs electrical power which inevitably causes high heat during computation. For this reason, a high-density server requires a power source unit and cooling fans in server enclosures.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a server monitoring system including a power source, motherboards, controllers, and fans. Patent Literature 2 discloses a blade server system including server blades and power source devices. Patent Literature 3 discloses a blade server arranging a hard-disk drive (HDD), which can be inserted into or pulled out from housing, independently of server modules. Patent Literature 4 discloses a computer system having a rack accommodating server modules without using cables.
Additionally, Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses a scalable computing system accommodating a plurality of server drawers in a specially-designed chassis. Non-Patent Literature 2 discloses a rack-mountable barebone configuration of a server system offering scalable computation. Non-Patent Literature 3 (i.e. a Japanese webpage) discloses a rack server with a rack chassis offering a high density of servers and reducing power consumption. Non-Patent Literature 4 is an English-language webpage corresponding to Non-Patent Literature 3.
Patent Literatures 1 to 4 teach various examples of servers each accommodating a plurality of server nodes (i.e. drawers and chassis) in which a power source is interposed between server drawers and positioned opposite to a connecting node of a motherboard. Non-Patent Literature 1 teaches an example of a server layout in which a power source unit and cooling fans are arranged in a rear opening formed at a rear portion of an server enclosure. Herein, it is necessary to arrange external interfaces, such as an I/O port, a LAN connector, or a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) slot, as well as a HDD unit and an operation panel in the front face of a server module. This allows users to easily access a HDD unit and an operation panel on the front face of a sever enclosure, collectively aggregating external wires which can be freely connected to or disconnected from external interfaces. Non-Patent Literatures 2-4 teach various configurations of servers similar to Non-Patent Literature 1.
As described above, Non-Patent Literature 1 teaches a sever system in which a power source unit and cooling fans are arranged on the rear face of a server enclosure while external interfaces are arranged on the front face of a server module. This technology needs to collectively aggregate external wires, connected to external interfaces, on the front face. However, this may cause a mess in the front face of a server enclosure aggregating external wires connected to external interfaces. In other words, external wires connected to external interfaces may physically block users from accessing a HDD unit and an operation panel.